Ignition system for multicylinder internal combustion



Aug. 25, 1925. 1,551,255

J. KLEIN ET AL IGNITION SYSTEM FOR MULTICYLINDER INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES, AND PARTICULARLY FOR AUTOMOBILE ENGINES Filed June 27, 1923 Patented Aug. 25, 1 925.

' umrao STATES PATENT orrica.

JUAN KLEIN AND rEDERI'co KLEIN, or nuance 5131 15, ARGEN'BINL 'IGN'I'TI'ON SYSTEM FOR MULTICYLINDER mreamaoomcsmon ENGINES, AND PARTICULARLY FOR AUTOMGTBIL'E ENGINES.

Application filed June 27, 1923. serial no. 6481078.

To allwho'm it may concern:

Be it known that we, JUAN KLEIN and.

Germany, residing at Buenos Aires', Argentine Republic, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ignition Systems for lldulticylihder InternahC'ombusti'on Engines, and Particularly for Automobile Engines, of which the following is a specification.

Ignition systems are frequently employed, especially in light automobiles, wherein the primary current generated by a lowte nsion magneto (ofa tension of about 6 to 8 volts) is brought to the primary windings of a number of ignition coils, corresponding to the number of cylinders of the engine. Whilethe engine is running, one induction coil after another is brought into the lowtension magneto circuit during a short period of'time, while the secondary terminal ofzthe induction coil, which is directly 0on nected'with the spark plug, gives ofi an impulse of current at a tension of about 10,000 volts, causing aspark to jump the gap of the spark .plug in the corresponding cylin der, to ignite the explosive gas mixture in the latter.

With the aforementioned and well'known arrangement, as many induction coils are required as there are cylinderstothe engine,

whichnot only involves the multiplied cost of the induction coils, but also has the serious drawback that in case one of the coils becomes damaged or moist, or gets out of adjustment, the corresponding cylinder is likely to cease functioning.

The object of the present invention-is the use of one single induction: coil for all of the cylinders oftthe engine, thus making the engine more reliable and less contingent upon circumstances. Apart from the exchange of theusual low tension timer for the new timing device, no modification or alteration whatsoever is required in the motor itself, for which reason the present invention is particularly adapted for Ford automo biles, which are run on the above described system.

In the drawings attached hereto, the in vention has been illustratively represented for its application to the engine of a Ford car.

' Fig. 1 shows a partial section of the new timing device, according to the invention;

Fig. 2 is an interior view of the timing device, seen from itsunder-side; l

Figs. 3" and 4 represent the rotary timer member as seen from its under and upper face -respectively;

Fig. 5' is awiri'ng diagram of the ignition system. 1

With reference to Figs. 1 and 2, the new timer consists of a. case a a of cylindrical shape, cast of a dielectric insulating substance. This case includes a radially-projecting-portionb, having-a cylindrical hub '0, of which half protrudes from the portion b, said hub being provided for the purpose of mounting the actuating end of the ignition timing lever.- In a central bore in the top of case: a, beneath an insulating knob cl, a contact pin fis mounted, presseddownward by aspring'e, whichis conductively connectedwith the terminal 9 onthe' projecting-portion Z) of case a. The case iscentrally provided' with a wide bore which-increases at its" lower portionto alarger diameter and forms at the middlelof itsdepth an annular s'houl der or step, and within and flush with the surface of this step four radially disposed contacts are embedded. These contacts are indicated i'n'thedrawing bythe characters h h 71 and h respectively, and are connected with the respective high tension terminals 7' 7' and '11,, from which leadsrun to the spark plugs in the cylinders.

The rim-of the case has a rectangular incision with beveled edges for receiving and holding asmall plate is with a dovetailed profile; this-plate carries a contact spring-Z resiliently projectinginto the case in a sub stantially radial direction, but slightly tilted upward. Spring Z is fastened to plate k by means-of'=terminal m, with which it i'sconductively connected. 1

VVithin case a rotates the concentric timing member a, constituted by a disc made OfQdi-x.

electric material, which carries on its upper face a central hub 0, closed at its end. This hub is hollow, being provided within with a bronze bushing 0 for receiving the end of the cam shaft p, on which it is roperly adjusted by means of a groove an key.

Conductively connected with bushing 0, the lower face of the timer member 'n carries a number of radial arms equal to the number of cylinders in the engine; there being, in the construction illustrated, four radial arms .9 g g 57,. (See Fig.

Contact spring Z pressing against the lower face of timer member a comes, upon rotation of the latter on the cam shaft, successively in contact with these arms.

()n the upper face of timing member 92, the insulating hub 0 carries a metal cap 1 with a central recess 1". A metal strip 8' leads from metal cap 1" to a small bronze tube 8, -embedded near the periphery of timer n, Within this tube 8 a carbon rod 25 is pressed upward by means of a small spiral spring 6. Upon rotation of timing member a, the carbon rod, resiliently bearing upon the surface above, makes successive contact with the electrodes 7b,, 7%, ft 7a,.

The working of the ignition device of the present invention will be clearly seen by the wiring diagram of Fig. 5. The contact arms Q1, Q3, are connected, by means of the bronze bushing 0 of the tiining member a, to the cam shaft p, and thus are grounded to the car frame. I is an induction coil of known construction, having its primary inlet terminal P connected to the low-tension n'iagneto terminal M, while its primary outlet terminal T is connected to the contact spring Z by means of terminal m. The secondary terminal S of the induction coil is connected to the contact pin f by means of the terminal g. At each half revolution of the crank shaft, the cam shaft moves through a quarter revolution, and at each quarter revolution one of the contact arms 9,, Q2, 9 touches the spring Z, thus closing the low-tension circuit from terminal M, through induction coil I by electrodes P and T through terminal m, spring Z and contact arm 9. The high tension current induced in the sec,- ondary winding of the induction coil, passes from terminal S to the -central contact pin in the timing case, through terminal g. Contact pin f presses against the recess of the metal cap r, and the current passes through the metal strip a to the bronze tube 8 and thence through carbon rod 25, suc cessively to contacts it h it in, over which the carbon rod is bi ,shing during rotation of the timer member a. Each time the spring Z'connects the low tension current traveling through the induction coil 1, to the ground, through one of the contact arms 9 Q3, Q, the high tension current generated in the secondary winding is led to one of the corresp mding contacts 7L1, b 7a,, 7L1, through terminal y, contact pin f, cap 1' and carbon rod 2?. lnasi'nuch as from the terminals j,, 7' connected with the high tension terminals, leads run to the spark plugs of the corresponding cylinders of the motor, 1, 2, 3, t, an explosion occurs at each contact.

The lever a at the outside of the timing case may be connected with the lever by which the spark may be advanced or retarded, tln-ough rotation of timing case a.

According to whether the automobile is fitted with right hand or left hand steering gear, the spark lever is connected either with lever in or hub c of the timing case.

\Ve claim as our iitivention timer for multi-eylinder engines, adapted to be mounted on the cam shaft of the engine and comprising a disc fixed to said shaft to constantly rotate therewith and having an upstanding hub; a case enclosing the disc and having a stepped bore providing a central annular shoulder which confronts one face of the disc, said disc being disposed in the outer portion of the bore, and its hub in the inner portion thereof; a set of contacts, one for each cylinder, embedded in the surface of said shoulder and connected to transmit high-tension current to the spark plugs; a metal member on the top of said hub; a metal contact pin mounted in said case in engagement with said member and conn cted with the source of higlntension current; a carbon brush mountd in the confronting face of the disc for successive engagement with the contacts, said brush being electrically connected with said metal member; a contac spring within the case connected with the low-tension current supply; and a plurality of radiallydisposed contact arms, one for each engine cylinder, embedded in the other face of the disc for successive engagement by said spring to close the low-tension circuit, said arms being electrically connected at their inner ends with said shaft to ground the lowtension current,

In testimony whereof we allix our signatures.

JUAN KLEIN. FEDERICO KLEIN 

